2 Nyakati 18
1 Sasa Yehoshafati alikauwa na utajiri mwingi na heshima kubwa; alifanya undugu na Ahabu mmoja wa watu wa familia yake akamuo binti yake.
Jehoshaphat became very wealthy and was greatly honored. But then he arranged for one of his family to marry someone from the family of King Ahab [of Israel].
2 Baada ya miaka kadhaa, akashsuka chini kwa Ahabu huko Samaria. Ahabu akachinja kondoo na ngo'mbe wengi kwa ajili ya yake na watu waliokuwa pamoja naye. Ahabu pia akamshawishi kuivamia Ramothi-gileadi pamoja naye.
Several years later, he went down [from Jerusalem] to Samaria to visit Ahab. Ahab welcomed him and the people who had come with him by slaughtering many sheep and cattle [for a feast].
3 Ahabu, mfalme wa Israeli, akamwambia Yehoshafati, mfalme wa Yuda, “Utakwenda Ramothi-gileadi pamoja nami?” Yehoshafati akamjibu, “Mimi ni kama wewe, na watu wangu ni kama watu wako; tutakuwa pamoja nawe katika vita.”
Then he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you [and your army] go with my army to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “My soldiers and I will go to the battle when you tell us to go.”
4 Yehoshafati akamwambia mfalme wa Israeli, Tafadhali litafute neno la Yahwe kwanza kwa ajili ya jibu lako”
Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
5 Kisha mfale wa Israeli akawakusanya manabii pamoja, wanauame mia nne, na akasema akwao, Tutaenda vitani Ramothi-gileadi, au nisiende?” Wakasema, “Vamia, kwa maana Mungu ataitia mkononi mwa mfalme.”
So the king of Israel gathered all his 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go to attack the people of Ramoth [city], or should we not do that?” They replied, “Yes, go [and attack them] because God will enable your army to defeat them.”
6 Lakini Yehoshafati akasema, “Hakuna nabii mwingine hapa wa Yahwe ambaye kwake tunapaswa kutafuta ushauri?”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
7 Mfale wa Israeli akamwambia Yehoshafati, Bado kuna mtu mmoja amabaye kwake lazima tuutafute ushauri wa Yahwe, Mikaya mwana wa Imla, lakini namchukia kwa sababu yeye huwa hatabiri mema kamwe kuhusu mimi, bali kila mara maovu,” Lakini Yehoshafati akasema, “Mfalme hapaswi kusema hivyo.”
The king of Israel replied, “There is still one man here, whom we can ask to find out what Yahweh wants, his name is Micaiah, the son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never says anything good about me. He always predicts [that] bad [things will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”
8 Kisha mfalme wa Israeli akamwita akida na kusema, Haraka mlete Mikaya mwana wa Imla.”
So the king of Israel told one of his officials to summon Micaiah immediately.
9 Sasa Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli na Yehoshafati mfalme wa Yuda walikuwa wamekaa kila mmoja katika kiti cha enzi, wamevalia kanzu zao, katika sehemu ya uwazi katika maingilia ya lango la Samaria, na manabii wote walikuwa wakitabairi mbele zao.
The king of Israel and the king of Judah were sitting there on their thrones, wearing their royal robes. They were at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of [Ahab’s] prophets were standing in front of them, predicting what was going to happen.
10 Zedekia mwana wa Kenaani akajitengenezea pembe za chuma na kusema, Yahwe anasema hivi: Kwa kutumia hizi pembe mtawasukuma Waaramu hadi waangamie.”
[One of them whose name was] Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron something that resembled the horns of a bull. He proclaimed to Ahab, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns [like these], your [army] will keep attacking the army of Syria [like a bull attacks another animal], until you completely destroy them.’”
11 Manabii wote wakatabiri kitu kile kile, wakisema, “Vamia Raamothi-gleadi na shinda. kwa maana Yahwe ameutia kwenye mkono wa mfalme.”
All the other prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them.”
12 Mjumbe aliyeenda kumuita Mikaya akasema kwake, akisema, “Sasa angalia, maneno ya manabii yanatangaza mambo mema kwa ajili ya mfalme kwa kinywa kimoja. Tafadhali maneno yako yawe kama maneno ya mmoja wao na sema mambo mema.”
The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are unitedly predicting that the king will be successful [in the battle]. So be sure to agree with them and say that the king’s army will be successful!”
13 Mikaya akajibu, “Kama Yahwe aishivyo, mimi nitasema kile mbacho Mungu anasema.”
But Micaiah said, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell the king only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
14 Alipokuja kwa mfalme, mfamle akamwambaia, “Mikaya, tutaenda Ramothi -gileadi kwa ajili ya vita, au la?” Mikaya akamjibu, “Vamia na utashinda! kwa maana utakuwa ushinda mkuu.”
When Micaiah arrived, the king [of Israel] asked him, “Should we go to attack Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”
15 Kisha mfalme akasema kwake, “Ni mara ngapi ninapaswa kukutaka kuapa kutoniambia kitu chochote sispokuwa kweli katika jina la Yahwe?
But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was lying, so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”
16 Kwa hiyo Mikaya akasema, “Niliwaoana Israeli wametawanyika ktika mlima, kama kondoo wasio na mchungaji, na Yahwe akasema, hawa hawana mchungaji. Ebu kila mtu arudi nyumbani kwake kwa amani.”
Then Micaiah replied, “[The truth is that in a vision] I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’”
17 Kwa hiyo mfalme wa Israeli akamwambia Yehoshafati, “Sikukuambia kwamba asingeweza kutabiri mema juu yangu, bali majanga tu?
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you that he never predicts that anything good will happen to me! He [always] predicts that bad things will happen to me.”
18 Kisha Mikaya akasema, “Kwa hiyo ninyi nyote mnapashwa kulisikia neno la Yahwe: Nilimuon Yahwe amekaa juu ya kiti chake cha enzi, na majeshi yote ya mbinguni yalikauwa yamekaa mkono wake wa kulia na mkono wake wa kushoto.
But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! [In a vision] I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven [standing around him], on his right side and on his left side.
19 Yahwe akasema, Ni nani atakayemrubuni Ahabu, mfalme wa Israeli, ili kwamba aende na kuanguka huko Ramothi-gileadi?' Mmoja alisema hivi na mwingine hivi.
And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab, the king of Israel, to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’ “Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else.
20 Kisha roho ikaja moja kwa maja na kusimama mbele ya Yahwe na kusema, 'Nitamrubuni.' Yahwe akamwambia, 'Kivipi?'
“Finally one spirit, [having received a message from Satan], came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’ “Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’
21 Roho ikajibu, “nitatoka nje na nitakuwa roho ya uongo katika vinywa vya manabii wake wote.' Yahwe akajibu, 'utamrubuni, na pia utafanikiwa. nenda sasa na fanya hivyo.'
“The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’
22 Sasa ona, Yahwe ameweka roho ya uongo katika midomo ya manabii wako hawa, na Yahwe ametangaza majanga kwa ajili yako.”
“So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”
23 Kisha Zedekia mwana wa Kenaana, akaja, akampiga kofi mika juu ya shavu, na kusema, “Kwa njia gani Roho wa Yahwe alitoka kwangu ili aseme nawe?”
Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?”
24 Mika akasema, Angalia, utalijua hilo katika siku hiyo, mtakapokimbia katika baadhi ya vyumba vya ndani kwa ajili ya kujificha.”
Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [to which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian soldiers]!”
25 Mfalme wa Israeli akasema kwa baadhi ya watumishi, “Enyi watu mkamateni Mikaya na mmpeleke hadi Amoni, mkuu wa mji na, na kwa Yoashi, mwanangu.
King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
26 Nanyi mtamwambia, 'Mfalme anasema: Mweke gerezanai huyu mtu na umlishe kwa mkate kiogo tu na maji kidogo tu, mpaka nitakaporudi salama.”
Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely [from the battle]!”
27 Kisha Mikaya akasema, “Kama utarudi salama, Yahwe hajasema nami.”Kisha akaongeza, “Sikiliza haya, enyi watu wote.”
Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, [it will be clear that] it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said [to all those who were standing there], “Do not forget what I have said [to King Ahab]!”
28 Kwa hiyo Ahabu, mfalme wa Israeli, na Yehoshafati, mfalme wa Yuda, wakaenda juu ya Ramothi-giledi.
So the king of Israel and the king of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
29 Mfalme wa Israeli akamwamabia Yehoshafati, “Nitajibadilisha mwenyewe na kwenda vitani, lakini wewe vaa mavazi yako ya kifalme.” Kwa hiyo mfalame wa Israeli akajibalisha, na wakaenda vitani.
King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will put on different clothes, [in order that no one will recognize that I am the king.] But you should wear your royal robe.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.
30 Sasa mfalme wa Aramu alikuwa amewaamuru maakida wa magari yake, akisema, Msiwavamie wanajeshsi wasio wa muhimu wala wanajeshsi muhimu. Badala yake, mvamieni mfalme wa Israeli pekee,”
The King of Syria told his soldiers who were driving the chariots, “Attack only the king of Israel!”
31 Ikawa kwamba maakida wa magari walipomuona Yehoshafati wakasema, “Yule ni mfalme wa Israeli.” Wakageka kumzunguka wamvamie, lakini Yehoshafati akalia, na Yahwe akamsaidia. Mungu akawageza nyuma kutoka kwake.
So when the soldiers who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing the royal robes], they thought “He must be the king of Israel!”
32 Ikawa kwamba maakida wa magari walipoona ya kuwa hakuwa mfalme wa Israeli, wakarudi nyuma wasimfukuze.
So they turned to attack him. But when Jehoshaphat cried out, Yahweh helped him, and they realized that he was not the king of Israel. And God caused them to stop pursuing him.
33 Lakini mtu mmoja akauvuta upinde wake kwa kubahatisha na kumpiga mfalme wa Israeli kati kati ya maungio ya mavazi yake. Kisha Ahabu akamwambia dereva wa gari lake, “Geuza nyuma na nitoe nje ya mapigano, kwa maana nimejeruhiwa vibaya sana.”
But one [Syrian] soldier shot an arrow at Ahab, without knowing that it was Ahab. The arrow struck Ahab between the places where the parts of his armor joined together. Ahab told the driver of his chariot, “Turn the chariot around and take me out of here! I have been [severely] wounded!”
34 Mapigano yakazidi kuwa makali siku hiyo, na mfalme wa israeli akashikiliwa katika gari lake kuwaelekea Waaramu hadi jioni. Muda jua lilipokaria kwenda chini, akafa.
The battle continued all that day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian soldiers. And late in the afternoon, when the sun was setting, he died.
